Cream of Asparagus Soup

Asparagus is in season and really affordable in Sydney right now so I bought a ton of it at the grocery store and farmer’s market last week. But when I was cleaning out my fridge on Saturday, I realized that I had way too much of it to just eat normally…

So what do I do when I have way too much of one vegetable? I make soup!

This fresh Asparagus soup is a beautiful green color, and its flavors are subtle but delicious…

 

Notes

• The freshness of the asparagus takes center stage here, as the soup is only seasoned with onion, lemon juice, salt and pepper. However some fresh garlic and/or dill would be lovely as well.
• Traditional cream soups get their richness from heavy cream, but you can get the same result by using soaked raw cashews. If nuts are an issue for you, then use soy milk instead.
• This soup freezes well. Just let it cool completely before freezing it in an air-tight container. Then slowly reheat it before serving.

Vegan Cream of Asparagus Soup

• Prep time: 5 mins
• Cook time: 40 mins
• Total time: 45 mins
• Recipe type: Soup
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 pounds green asparagus
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons vegan margarine
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• ½ cup raw cashews, soaked in warm water for 1 hour (or ½ cup soy/almond milk)
• ¼ teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Instructions

• Cut asparagus into ½-inch pieces.
• In a large pot, heat margarine over medium-low heat, and cook the onion for a few minutes, until softened.
• Add asparagus pieces and salt and pepper to taste, then cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add broth and simmer, covered, until asparagus is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add cashews and purée soup using an immersion blender (or in batches in a blender) until smooth.
• Season with lemon juice, and salt and pepper.

Notes

MAKE-AHEAD: Soup keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days. To freeze, let soup cool completely before freezing it in an air-tight container. Slowly reheat soup on stove-top (or microwave) before serving.
This fresh asparagus soup is made creamy and rich with the addition of raw cashews. It's gluten-free and freezer-friendly!